ABU DHABI ART FAIR, Booth A26 (Nov 14 – 17, 2018) The Third Line at Abu Dhabi Art

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian’s iconic mirror mosaics are presented in a set of five—a triangle, diamond, heptagon, octagon and nonagon. They remind us of the sacred geometry principles that have been at the core of the artist’s practice for the past five decades. Each of the shapes possesses mathematical attributes and consequently, its own meaning. Thus, the heptagon become a symbol of the universe (the seven visible planets, seven days of the week, and the seven colours of the rainbow), while the nonagon represents the nine elements of the body (brain, bones, nerves, veins, blood, flesh, skin, nails and hair).

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Untitled (Octagon 2), 2016, Mirror and reverse glass painting on plexiglass, 32 cm in diameter / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Untitled (Nonagon), 2016, Mirror and reverse glass painting on plexiglass, 30 cm in diameter / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Untitled (Diamond 2), 2016, Mirror and reverse glass painting on plexiglass, 41 cm in diameter / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Untitled (Heptagon 5), 2016, Mirror and reverse glass painting on plexiglass, 33 cm in diameter / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Untitled (Triangle), 2016, Mirror and reverse glass painting on plexiglass, 43 cm in diameter / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Untitled 7, 2016, Felt tip marker on paper, 70 x 100 cm / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Untitled 9, 2016, Felt tip marker on paper, 70 x 100 cm / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Similarly, Rana Begum draws inspiration from the abstract clashes of form and colour found in urban environments with the repetitive geometry of Islamic art. Her Folds stem from a series of experimental manipulations of paper that explored the materiality of drawing, which soon became works in their own right. Paper becomes sheets of copper and mild steel as the artist pulls this folded geometry into crisp, brightly-coloured three-dimensional forms that both challenge and expand relationships between colour, form and space.

Complementing these sculptural pieces are works on paper by both artists. Monir’s felt-tip drawings combine the artist’s exploration of geometric forms with her long-standing interest in architecture: the shapes of her vibrant layers hint at the forms of nomadic tents, minarets, and models for architectural sculptures. Meanwhile, No. 829 presents a continuation of Rana’s exploration of form, while introducing a painterly quality through gestural brushstrokes.

Rana Begum, No.669, 2016, Paint on mild steel,140 x 107 x 36 cm / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Rana Begum, No.669, 2016, Paint on mild steel,140 x 107 x 36 cm / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Rana Begum, No.773, 2017, Paint on powder coated aluminium, 25 x 25 x 5 cm / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Rana Begum, No.773, 2017, Paint on powder coated aluminium, 25 x 25 x 5 cm / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Rana Begum, No.773, 2017, Paint on powder coated aluminium, 25 x 25 x 5 cm / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

Rana Begum, No.829, Drawing, 2018, Paint on paper, 154 x 120 x 3 cm / Courtesy of The Third Line and the artist

The Third Line is a Dubai based art gallery that represents contemporary Middle Eastern artists locally, regionally and internationally. The Third Line also hosts non-profit, alternative programs to increase interest and dialogue in the region. Represented artists include: Abbas Akhavan, Ala Ebtekar, Amir H. Fallah, Arwa Abouon, Babak Golkar, Farhad Moshiri, Farah Al Qasimi, Fouad Elkoury, Golnaz Fathi, Hassan Hajjaj, Hayv Kahraman, Huda Lutfi, Joana Hadjithomas & Khalil Joreige, Laleh Khorramian, Lamya Gargash, Monir Shahroudy Farmanfarmaian, Pouran Jinchi, Rana Begum, Sahand Hesamiyan, Sara Naim, Sherin Guirguis, Shirin Aliabadi, Slavs and Tatars, Sophia Al-Maria, Tarek Al-Ghoussein, Youssef Nabil and Zineb Sedira.